Metroidvania

noun

Met·​roid·​va·​nia ˈme-ˌtrȯid-ˈvā-nyə 

-nē-ə

variants or less commonly metroidvania

plural Metroidvanias also metroidvanias

: a usually 2D platformer game where the play typically involves exploring a maze-like world, fighting enemies, and navigating obstacles

Metroidvania games derive their genre name from two iconic franchises: Metroid and Castlevania. This is a sub-category of action-adventure platformers that concentrates on non-linear … exploration.

—sportskeeda.com

While most Metroidvania games see players shoot or slash their way through hordes of enemies, Animal Well is far more understated. You'll still need to discover items and upgrades to open new areas, only instead of powerful rockets and supernatural transformations, you'll find flying discs to distract dogs and firecrackers to scare away ghosts.

—Liam Martin

… it brings intense, fast-flowing combat and some very light metroidvania elements for brief bouts of exploration.

—Jake Green

By collecting seeds and planting them, the player enables alien flora to grow as time advances. The vibrant plant life is not just decorative; it is an ingenious take on a defining feature of Metroidvanias, helping the player gain powers to reach previously inaccessible areas.

—Lewis Gordon

Examples of Metroidvania in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, the formula is so established that a genre (Metroidvania) is named after the series. — PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025

Metroid and Castlevania begot the Metroidvania; hell, today, practically every game of any high difficulty gets roped in with soulslikes (referencing Dark Souls). — Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025

Like any Metroidvania worth the genre name, large portions of Silksong require finding and unlocking new movement or attack capabilities. — ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Metroid + Castlevania, names of two earlier video game series

First Known Use

2008, in the meaning defined above